Pressroom: The Dot Premieres at Boston's MFA

Author/Illustrator Peter H. Reynolds' Award-Winning Book THE DOT Premieres at Boston's Museum of Fine Arts as New Animated Film

"Make Your Mark" Film Festival Scheduled for October 16th 10:30a.m. Will Also Include Reynolds' Reading of New Book Ish

BOSTON, MA. – As Boston-area Author/Illustrator Peter H. Reynolds is “making his mark” on the international media and publishing scene, Boston’s Museum of Fine Arts is preparing to host the premiere of the new animated film adaptation of his award-winning book The Dot on October 16th at 10:30a.m. The Dot film, narrated by Thora Birch (American Beauty) was co-produced by Scholastic’s Weston Woods and Boston’s own FableVision. Now in fourteen languages and the recipient of the 2004 Christopher Medal, The Dot is the first book in a trilogy about daring & nurturing the creative spirit in everyone.

The “Make Your Mark” Film Festival will also feature Reynolds reading his brand new book, Ish (the sequel to The Dot), as well as screenings of two other award-winning FableVision/Weston Woods productions, Pete’s a Pizza (narrated by Chevy Chase) and Antarctic Antics (which landed the Carnegie Medal), plus FableVision’s animated film festival shorts, The Blue Shoe, and the Boston premiere of He Was Me.

Sponsored by Sundance Channel, Comcast & The Boston Phoenix, the film program will run approximately one hour, followed by a book signing of The Dot and Ish. Ticket pricing for MFA members, seniors, and students is $8; general admission is $9; children 12 and under is $5. To purchase tickets, please call (617) 369-3306 or visit the Remis box office - open daily, 10 am-4:30 pm, with evening hours until 8:30 pm Wednesday-Friday. Additional information is available at http://www.mfa.org or http://www.fablevision.com/openhouse.

Bo Smith, Head of MFA’s Film/Video and Concerts, says, “We’re delighted to be presenting the premiere of The Dot film here at Museum of Fine Arts. What a better place to do it?” Smith explains, “Peter’s story captures the power of artistic expression, and in so doing, it makes a dramatic difference in the way people of all ages view their own creative potential. The Dot’s main character Vashti demonstrates what can happen by sharing this creative expression with others, and this process nicely complements the MFA's mission in a compelling new way.” Founded in the late 1950’s, the Museum of Fine Arts' Film Program has grown to become one of the nation's finest exhibitors of contemporary international cinema, restored classics, and premieres of American independent films. Each year, over 65,000 people attend approximately 650 screenings presented at the MFA. Over the past few years, guests have included Robert Altman, Brad Anderson, Zeki Demirkubuz, Tamineh Milani, Susan Sontag, Tom Tykwer, Yoko Ono, and Chow Yun-Fat.

Peter H. Reynolds is also the founder and CEO of his own education media and multimedia firm called FableVision, which co-produced the new film adaptation of The Dot with the Connecticut-based Weston Woods team, led by acclaimed producer Paul Gagne. Reynolds notes, “We’ve always been big fans of Weston Woods and have been lucky enough to work with them on several animated book-to-film adaptations over the past decade – having a chance to work together on my own book was an absolute honor.” Part of Scholastic, Inc., Weston Woods is headquartered in Norwalk, CT and provides materials to more than 50,000 schools and libraries nationwide and has distributors in more than 20 countries around the world.

Reynolds’ identical twin brother, Paul, President of FableVision, remarks, “Collaborating with the MFA, Candlewick Press and Weston Woods like this significantly extends FableVision’s reach and mission to inspire creative, life-long learning journeys – we couldn’t ask for better partners.”

The Dot, which was released in a 50,000 hardcover print run in October by Candlewick Press and has already been printed fourteen languages, is in its fifth print run and has received starred reviews in industry bible Publishers Weekly, Booklist Journal and American School Library Journal. Awards include the Oppenheimer Platinum Toy Award 2004 and "Best Book of the Year" by Valerie Lewis, author of Children's Book Review, “Best Book of the Year: Most Inspirational” by Nick Jr. Family Magazine, and The Christopher Award. Reynolds’ other work includes his cornerstone book, The North Star, as well as illustrator of Megan MacDonald’s best-selling Judy Moody series, Eleanor Estes’ The Alley and The Tunnel of Hugsy Goode, Judy Blume’s Fudge series, and Ellen Potter’s Olivia Kidney.

Peter H. Reynolds’ most recent book release is called Ish, which is a follow-up to The Dot. Ish is another powerful lesson about protecting the creative spirit against all odds. Reynolds will be doing a special reading of Ish at the MFA film event on October 16th. Reynolds shares, “Ish helps explain my approach to relaxing about art... So many people say “I can’t draw!” - but When I hear “I can’t...” it inspires me to say.... “Oh, yes, you can...” And with the right attitude adjustment, you’ll see you can.”

Peter H. Reynolds shares his media/publishing ventures with his identical twin brother Paul. Peter and Paul Reynolds founded and run the award-winning children’s media company FableVision (www.fablevision.com) based in Watertown, MA. FableVision’s mission is to use media, storytelling & technology to reach, support and inspire ALL learners – and is currently in development on a new pre-K television series with Noggin and Nick Jr., as well as celebrating the success of two acclaimed educational software products, BrainCogs and Stationery Studio. The Reynolds also recently launched a retail venture called The Blue Bunny, a children’s media workshop and book/toy shop in historic Dedham Square (MA.) (http://www.dedhambluebunny.com,) which they call “the little shop with a big mission” – to honor, inspire and nurture active creative expression in children and adults. For more details on Peter’s publishing work, browse http://www.peterhreynolds.com.

The Dot film is available for purchase on DVD, video, and as a read-along CD or cassette via Scholastic/Weston Woods – http://www.scholastic.com/westonwoods or by calling 1-800-243-5020.

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The Dot Film Synopsis: Vashti may not be able to draw, but she can at least make a dot. When she sees the dot framed above her art teacher's desk she decides that she can make a better dot. Soon Vashti is making big dots and small dots, red dots, blue dots and purple dots. At the school art show everyone admires her dot paintings and she realizes that art is about more than being able to draw. Narrated by Thora Birch, with music by Jerry Dale McFadden. A co-production of Weston Woods Studios and FableVision, Inc.

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